Destinations › Asia · The Destination Index · universal template · every figure sourced
Jordan.
Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia, between the West Bank (to the west) and Iraq. 89,342 sq km and 11,520,684 people, 26 km of coastline, mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April).
Region · AsiaPopulation · ~11,520,684Languages · Jordanian Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic (official), with Circassian, Armenian and ChechenEco Index · 50/100 · Weak
The Eco Index across 12 pillars · scored 0 to 5 · World Bank, OWID, WHO/UNICEF JMP, FiBL, Protected Planet, IUCN, UNESCO (2023-24)
Conservation
Wildlife
Water
Food & farming
Organic & clean
Climate & energy
Waste
Health
Heritage
Ownership
Governance
Future
The History of Jordan.
Jordan's living heritage is anchored in Bedouin culture and the wider Levantine tradition. Dabke line dancing is performed at almost every celebration, and Bedouin poetry, music and the As-Samer wedding tradition remain alive, both recognised by UNESCO.
Where the name comes from
For the river Jordan, from a Semitic root meaning to descend. The state was renamed the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1948. Source: UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names toponymic factfile.
The land itself: an arid desert plateau, cut north to south by the rift that carries the Jordan valley, the Dead Sea and the Jordanian highlands. Its high point is Jabal Umm ad Dami, 1,854 m. Source: UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names toponymic factfile.
Where it starts
Bread before farming
Acheulian tools along the Zarqa valley are around 1.4 million years old, among the earliest evidence of humans outside Africa. Charred flatbread from the Natufian site of Shubayqa 1, made from wild barley, einkorn and oat that had been ground, sieved and kneaded, is 14,400 years old and is the oldest direct evidence of bread anywhere. It was baked roughly 4,000 years before anyone farmed. The plaster statues of Ain Ghazal, up to a metre tall, are among the oldest large human figures ever made.
How it got here
Petra, empires, refuge
The Nabataeans carved Petra from rock and built the dams, cisterns and channels that made a desert city possible. Roman and Byzantine rule left Jerash and mosaic floors across the country. Umayyad, Abbasid, Mamluk and Ottoman rule followed from 636, with desert palaces from the earliest Islamic period. Jordan became independent in 1946, and successive waves of refugees since 1948 have made it one of the largest hosts of displaced people per person in the world.
The timeline
c. 1.4 million years ago
The Zarqa valley.
Acheulian tools along the Zarqa are among the earliest evidence of humans outside Africa. ↗
c. 14,400 years ago
Shubayqa 1.
Charred flatbread from a Natufian site is the oldest direct evidence of bread anywhere, made 4,000 years before farming. ↗
c. 7200 BC
Ain Ghazal.
Plaster statues up to a metre tall are among the oldest large human figures ever made. ↗
c. 6500 BC
Early farming towns.
Settlements in the Jordan valley are among the first places where farming replaced foraging. ↗
c. 300 BC to AD 106
The Nabataeans.
Petra is carved from rock, with dams, cisterns and channels that made a desert city possible. ↗
AD 106 to 636
Rome and Byzantium.
Roman and then Byzantine rule leaves Jerash and mosaic floors across the country. ↗
636 to 1918
Islamic rule.
Umayyad, Abbasid, Mamluk and Ottoman rule, with desert palaces from the earliest period. ↗
1946
Independence.
A series of Anglo-Transjordanian treaties between 1928 and 1946 moves Transjordan towards full independence. Britain retained control over foreign affairs, the armed forces, communications and state finances until 1946, when the Emirate becomes the Hashemite Kingdom. ↗
1948 onward
Refuge.
Successive waves of refugees make Jordan one of the largest hosts of displaced people per person in the world. ↗
Protected areas cover about 5% of land and under 3% of the sea (World Bank, 2025), a modest footprint, but the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature runs its reserves at Dana, Mujib, Ajloun and Azraq to a high standard with real ecotourism income.
Is wild Jordan protected? 5.4% of the land is, against a 30% target for 2030
How protected is nature in Jordan?
Forest cover1.1%
Terrestrial protected area5.4%
Marine protected area2.8%
65 (mammals, birds, fish & plants) listed as threatened.
Recorded in Jordan and named in the open record. Endemic status is stated per species, not implied by this list.
Reintroduced Arabian oryx
Re
Nubian ibex
Nu
Tristram's starling
Tr
The watchlist
ThreatenedSousa plumbeaEndangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Jordan in GBIF occurrence data (mammal).
ThreatenedAquila nipalensisEndangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Jordan in GBIF occurrence data (bird).
ThreatenedHawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Jordan in GBIF occurrence data (turtle).
ThreatenedPhoenicolacerta kulzeriEndangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Jordan in GBIF occurrence data (reptile).
ThreatenedPocillopora verrucosaEndangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Jordan in GBIF occurrence data (coral).
ThreatenedGlue-seeded vetchling (Lathyrus gloeosperma)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Jordan in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
ThreatenedCoastal Iris (Iris atropurpurea)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Jordan in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
ThreatenedAphanius sirhaniCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Jordan in GBIF occurrence data (species).
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Jordan. GBIF holds 5 verified occurrence records.
Glue-seeded vetchling (Lathyrus gloeosperma)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Jordan. GBIF holds 2 verified occurrence records.
Coastal Iris (Iris atropurpurea)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Jordan. GBIF holds 2 verified occurrence records.
Aphanius sirhani
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Jordan. GBIF holds 90 verified occurrence records.
Species named here are drawn from GBIF occurrence records for Jordan filtered to the IUCN Red List threatened categories. Species are listed where GBIF holds occurrence records for them in this country. Record counts are not published here because the figure cannot be reproduced from a public GBIF query.
Nature reserve in Irbid, mapped and named in the open record for Jordan. OpenStreetMap.
Water and Ocean in Jordan.
Jordan is among the two or three most water-scarce countries on Earth, with per-capita renewable water far below the absolute-scarcity line. It leans on the dwindling Jordan and Yarmouk rivers and the non-renewable Disi fossil aquifer, and households in Amman often receive piped water only once a week. About 89% have safely managed drinking water (JMP, 2024), but supply security is the acute problem.
Does Jordan have enough fresh water? Under pressure
89% of people here have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Most homes have a safe supply, but coverage is not universal, so check locally before drinking from the tap.
Cleanest water: Mujib and Dana spring-fed wadis
How much fresh water does Jordan have, per person?
61 m³
Jordan
1,000 m³
the UN “water scarce” line
Jordan withdraws about 950 million cubic metres of fresh water a year (2022). That is 105% of the fresh water actually available to it, which FAO counts as critical water stress. Of what is taken, farming takes 52%, homes and towns 45%, industry 3%. Source: FAO AQUASTAT.
What are the rules on Jordan beaches?
✕Tap water: Not drinkable.
✓Plastic rules: Ban on thin single-use plastic bags.
✕Solo travel: rated take care on the record for this destination.
✕Marine protection: 2.8% of the sea is protected. The 30x30 pledge for 2030 is not met yet.
Where does the sewage go?
80.1%
of people have safely managed sanitation
80.1% of people here use a safely managed sanitation service, meaning waste is contained, emptied and treated rather than reaching the ground or the sea untreated (2024, World Bank / WHO-UNICEF JMP, SDG 6.2.1). The rest is what the rivers and the coast receive.
How is the sea around Jordan doing?
One cross-section, every answer measured.
Surface
What the coast carries
Hot desert summers, mild winters; the Dead Sea shore is the lowest land on Earth.
Nearshore
Protected water
2.8% of territorial waters are protected, against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Cleanest
Where the water is cleanest
Mujib and Dana spring-fed wadis.
The record
Measured
Jordan is among the two or three most water-scarce countries on Earth, with per-capita renewable water far below the absolute-scarcity line. It leans on the dwindling Jordan and Yarmouk rivers and the non-renewable Disi fossil aquifer, and households in Amman often receive piped water only once a week.
Sea protected
2.8%
Against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Threatened species
65 (mammals, birds, fish & plants)
Mammals, birds, fish and higher plants on the IUCN list.
Cleanest water
here
Mujib and Dana spring-fed wadis.
Is the tap water safe in Jordan?
89% of people have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Renewable fresh water works out at about 61 cubic metres per person a year (World Bank).
How hard is the water supply being pushed?
Withdrawals run to 139% of what the country itself renews, so most of the supply is drawn from rivers or aquifers that start outside its borders. Jordan withdraws 139% of the fresh water it renews internally each year (2022, World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT). Anything above 100% means the country is living on water that arrives from outside its borders, or on groundwater that is not being replaced. This is one of the most stressed supplies measured anywhere.
When is the best time to visit Jordan? Tap your month.
Tap your month.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
.
How much fresh water does Jordan actually have?
Nature renews about 61 cubic metres of fresh water per person per year here. That ranks Jordan 8 of 208 countries measured, placing it among the 10 driest countries on Earth per person. The UN treats anything under 1,000 cubic metres as water scarce, and this is below that line. World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT.
With little arable land, an arid climate and severe water limits, Jordan imports the large majority of its food, including most of its grain. Domestic production is small and tightly constrained by water availability.
Where does the food in Jordan come from?
20.7% imported
about US$5,983m a year
On the plate: Flatbread, lentils, chickpeas, olive oil, rice
How often each food is on the plate
Share of people eating each one regularly. These overlap, so they do not add up to 100%.
Flatbread60%
Lentils51%
Chickpeas42%
Olive oil33%
Rice24%
2 of 10
bites are imported
The island buys in more food energy than it eats. About US$5,983m a year leaves the country to pay for it. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
About 20.7% of everything Jordan buys in from abroad is food, roughly 2 in every 10 imported items on the dock (2024, World Bank). Farming itself is 5.6% of the economy and 11.5% of the land is agricultural, of which 2.3% is arable. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
What is killing people in Jordan? The imported diet.
Cause of death, and the diet behind it.
Non-communicable diseases, all combined54.1%
Diabetes20.5%
Adults living with overweight or obesity. 69.9%.
Can Jordan feed itself?
2.3%
Arable land
11.5%
Agricultural land
100,355
Farmers
504,094
Arable acres
5.6%
Agriculture, share of GDP
Harvest: Olive harvest October to November
Feeding itself
With little arable land, an arid climate and severe water limits, Jordan imports the large majority of its food, including most of its grain. Domestic production is small and tightly constrained by water availability.
Certification
Certified organic farmland is about 0.1% of agricultural area (FiBL, 2020 data), reflecting the country's tiny, water-limited farming base.
Water for crops
Jordan is among the two or three most water-scarce countries on Earth, with per-capita renewable water far below the absolute-scarcity line. It leans on the dwindling Jordan and Yarmouk rivers and the non-renewable Disi fossil aquifer, and households in Amman often receive piped water only once a week.
Why the organic number looks like that. Certified-organic farmland is not separately reported for Jordan, and that is a certification gap rather than proof nothing is grown cleanly. What the official land record does show: 11.5% of the country is agricultural land and 2.3% is arable (2023, World Bank). Certification is paid for per farm per year by a foreign body, which prices out smallholders, so the organic number reads worse than the practice.
The plant-based kitchen here is not an import. By tonnage, the largest crops grown in Jordan are tomatoes, olives, yoghurt, potatoes, cucumbers and gherkins and onions and shallots (FAO, FAOSTAT crop production, 2024). That is what the land itself puts on a plate.
Jordan imports almost all its fossil energy and its power grid still runs mainly on natural gas, but it has become a regional renewables leader, lifting the renewable share of electricity from under 1 per cent in 2014 to around 27 per cent by 2023 through large solar and wind projects. Emissions are low at roughly 2.1 tonnes of CO2 per person. Its climate pledge targets a 31 per cent cut in emissions by 2030, backed by a national energy strategy. The mix of low emissions and a genuine, fast growing solar and wind programme is offset by continued dependence on imported gas.
What powers Jordan?
Renewable 24.1%Fossil 75.9%
Climate pollution per person
The safe amount, what the planet can absorb
2 tonnes
One person here
2.09 tonnes
The world average, for comparison
4.7 tonnes
The worst it ever got
2.9 tonnes
The grid
Jordan imports almost all its fossil energy and its power grid still runs mainly on natural gas, but it has become a regional renewables leader, lifting the renewable share of electricity from under 1 per cent in 2014 to around 27 per cent by 2023 through large solar and wind projects. Emissions are low at roughly 2.09 tonnes of CO2 per person.
Pollution
Ambient PM2.5 averages about 33 µg/m³ (World Bank, 2023), lifted by desert dust as well as traffic. Jordan has banned thin single-use plastic bags, but litter and limited waste systems remain visible outside the main cities.
Water stress
Jordan is among the two or three most water-scarce countries on Earth, with per-capita renewable water far below the absolute-scarcity line. It leans on the dwindling Jordan and Yarmouk rivers and the non-renewable Disi fossil aquifer, and households in Amman often receive piped water only once a week.
What pollutes most here
1The gridThe share of electricity still generated from fossil fuel.75.1%
2IndustryPhosphate and potash mining and Dead Sea mineral extraction.named
3AirModelled annual mean against a WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.32.6 µg/m³ (PM2.5)
4On the recordAmbient PM2.5 averages about 33 µg/m³ (World Bank, 2023), lifted by desert dust as well as traffic.
What has Jordan promised on climate?
Electricity renewable today24.9% (2021)
Land protected, against a 30% target5.4% by 2025
Sea protected, against a 30% target2.8% by 2025
Measured on delivery, 24.9% of electricity is already renewable (2021, World Bank), so 75.1% of the grid is still to be converted. The pledge on file is measured here against what has actually been delivered, not taken on its own (UNFCCC NDC Registry, CBD Kunming-Montreal Target 3).
The biggest line item
One return flight against a whole year of living.
A resident's entire year2.09 t CO2e
Safe-climate budget, per year2 t CO2e
Sydney return, economy2.54 t CO2e
Los Angeles return, economy2.2 t CO2e
New York return, economy1.66 t CO2e
Singapore return, economy1.42 t CO2e
Johannesburg return, economy1.17 t CO2e
How much CO2 does flying to Jordan emit?
Tap where you would fly from. One return flight, economy.
Every prompt runs on a machine in a building on somebody’s grid. What that costs the planet depends less on the prompt than on what is burning to power it. Here is what would power one in Jordan.
Data centres
4
Registered colocation and interconnection facilities, PeeringDB, 2026
Grid renewable
24.1 %
What a machine here runs on.
What powers a data centre in Jordan?
Almost everything a machine here consumes is burned fossil fuel.
Renewable 24.1%Fossil 75.9%
Cooling water. Every one of those halls runs on the national grid, which is 24.9% renewable today (World Bank). A data centre is only as clean as the electricity behind it, so the same figure that decides this country's climate score also decides the footprint of the AI running inside it. Cooling water use is not separately published by facility, and no operator here reports it.
The rules. Jordan has 4 colocation and interconnection facilities on the public PeeringDB register, concentrated in Aqaba (2), Amman (2), alongside 1 internet exchange (Aqaba IX). Named sites include iLevant Aqaba, Marj Al Hammam DC, Hashim DC, NaiTel Aqaba.
68% residents to 32% visitors across a year. 5,361,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 11,520,684 people who live here (2025, World Bank / UN Tourism).
Where a visitor dollar goes in Jordan
1,240k
Visitors a year
0.1
Visitors per resident
How deep in debt is Jordan?· for every $100 Jordan earns in a year, it owes…
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · the 1990 peak
$ 198The worst year on the IMF record. Jordan owed $198 for every $100 it earned.
IMF World Economic Outlook, 1990signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · today
$ 82What is owed now, for every $100 of national income (2026).
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · projected 2031
$ 76The IMF's own forecast has this falling to $76 by 2031.
IMF World Economic Outlook projection, 2031signed, the forecast
For every $100 Jordan earns in a year, it owes $82 (2026, IMF World Economic Outlook). The interest on that is paid before schools, clinics or coastline get their turn.
Where does a tourist dollar actually go in Jordan?
Play one tourist dollar around the board. Every square is a measured fact from this page.
START!
1
GO: a visitor lands
$100 goes on the table. 5,361,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 11,520,684 residents, one visitor a year for every 2 residents (World Bank / UN Tourism).
$100 in play
2
The bed
Who owns the largest places to stay in Jordan is not published in the records we can check, so this square is left open rather than guessed. Where a listing names its owner, it is shown in the ownership table below.
not published
3
The plate
Food is 20.7% of everything Jordan imports (2024, World Bank), so a large part of every restaurant bill is paid to a supplier abroad. Eating what the land here actually grows, tomatoes, potatoes, olives, cucumbers/gherkins, onions, chillies/peppers, peaches/nectarines, keeps that money with the grower.
sails in
4
The power
75.1% of the electricity is fossil (2021, World Bank). Lighting, cooling and hot water are paid for largely in imported fuel.
burns away
5
What actually stays
Of the two parts of a visitor's bill that can be measured here, the plate and the power mostly leave Jordan. Choosing locally grown food is the part of that a visitor can actually control.
less than you think
6
Pay the bank first
Jordan owes $82 for every $100 it earns (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). The interest is paid before anything else on this board.
$82 per $100
7
A spread hand
The largest single export, knitted clothing, is 14.9% of the total (2023, UN Comtrade). No one shock can take the whole board.
top export 14.9%
8
Community chest
Tourism earns 16.7% of everything Jordan makes from exports (2020, World Bank / UN Tourism). That is how much of the economy depends on the game continuing.
16.7% of exports
9
The flight
Getting here is usually the biggest single line on the bill. From Sydney a return economy seat is 2.54 t CO2, on the UK Government's published conversion factors. It is the one part of the trip this board cannot reduce.
2.54 t CO2
10
Back to GO
The economy turns over about US$65 billion a year (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). Every lap of this board is a choice about how much of it stays.
US$65bn
GDPUS$61.6bn
Agriculture, share of GDP5.6%
Visitors a year1,240,000
Visitors per resident0.1
Residents~11,520,684
Agriculture
Farming is 5.6% of the economy. With little arable land, an arid climate and severe water limits, Jordan imports the large majority of its food, including most of its grain.
Natural materials
Bedouin weaving survives, using sheep wool and goat hair for rugs and tents, alongside embroidery and craft cooperatives, several linked to the nature reserves.
Energy
Jordan imports almost all its fossil energy and its power grid still runs mainly on natural gas, but it has become a regional renewables leader, lifting the renewable share of electricity from under 1 per cent in 2014 to around 27 per cent by 2023 through large solar and wind projects. Emissions are low at roughly 2.09 tonnes of CO2 per person.
Who owns the biggest hotels in Jordan?
By rooms · company records and press.
Feynan Ecolodge · ~26 roomsIndependentnot published
Visitors, over time
20154,809k
20164,236k
20174,565k
20184,922k
20195,361k
20201,240k
International tourism receipts run at about US$1.75 billion in 2020 (World Bank / UN Tourism). That is 16.7% of everything the country earns from exports.
How much of your money actually stays here?
Tap the holiday you are planning.
All-inclusive resortForeign-owned hotel and tourist restaurantsLocally owned stay and local restaurantsGuesthouse, markets and public transport
Resort guest, villa renter, family, nomad or backpacker. The honest playbook for each, from the same sourced numbers.
Already booked a resort? · the rescue list
Five swaps that move your money back on-island
1. Eat where the country eats Choose kitchens cooking what the land here grows, tomatoes, potatoes, olives, cucumbers/gherkins, onions, chillies/peppers and peaches/nectarines, over an imported menu. The checked list →
2. Book with a local operator Never the lobby desk. The margin on a tour is the part that stays. Eco tours →
3. Stay somewhere locally owned Ownership decides where the room rate books. Eco stays →
4. Use the transport residents use Rental car or private driver; JETT buses between main cities; limited rural transport
5. Buy the craft, not the souvenir Natural-materials work made here pays the maker directly; imported gifts pay a shipping line.
swipe →
First time here
Jordan is one of the most water-scarce countries on Earth with minimal forest and heavy food imports, yet it runs well-managed nature reserves, strong Bedouin community tourism and a very plant-friendly cuisine.
Best time: Spring and autumn
Getting around
Rental car or private driver; JETT buses between main cities; limited rural transport
Transport is where the fare either stays or leaves.
Eating here
The everyday plate that actually grows here is tomatoes, potatoes, olives, cucumbers/gherkins, onions, chillies/peppers and peaches/nectarines. Ordering those keeps the money with the grower and cuts the imported share of the meal.
Eating what the country grows is the cheapest way to cut the import bill.
Good to know
Cards in Amman, cash elsewhere; JOD. Dress modestly; Jordanians are famously hospitable.
Rate my hotel. Tap yours for the honest verdict.
Ownership from company records and press.
Feynan Ecolodge
.
Who owns the place to stay
Feynan EcolodgeIndependent · 26 rooms
The one property listed here does not publish who ultimately owns it, so no claim is made either way. Ownership is what decides how much of a room rate stays in the country, which is why we show it when a listing states it.
Society and Governance in Jordan.
How well is Jordan actually run?
Governance, measured · World Bank WGI
Four measured answers, none of them opinion. Averaged across corruption control, delivery and accountability, Jordan scores 51 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That matters here because every pledge on this page is only as good as the machinery meant to deliver it.
How well is Jordan run? · each scored out of 100, higher is better
Clean government, scored 53 of 100
Control of corruption scores 53.4 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That is above the halfway mark of governments measured.
53
Freedom and rights, scored 44 of 100
Voice and accountability, which measures free expression, free media and the ability to choose a government, scores 44.4 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Citizens have some room to question their government.
44
Government effectiveness, scored 56 of 100
Government effectiveness, which measures the quality of public services and how well policy is actually delivered, scores 55.5 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Delivery is rated above average.
56
Income equality, scored 34 of 100
The Gini index of income inequality reads 33.7 (2010, World Bank). Zero is perfect equality and 100 is one person holding everything. Below 40 is the level usually treated as manageable, and Jordan sits inside it.
34
LGBTQ+ status: LowSolo female travel: Take care94.4% adult literacyIndustry to avoid: Phosphate and potash mining and Dead Sea mineral extraction
What is daily life in Jordan really like? Measured
Getting around, breathing, throwing away, learning. The honest checklist.
TransportAirWaterWastePower
✓How you get around Rental car or private driver; JETT buses between main cities; limited rural transport
✓Air quality, measured Modelled annual mean 32.6 µg/m³ (PM2.5). The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³.
✓Where the air is cleanest Highland reserves such as Dana and Ajloun
·Tap water Not drinkable
✓What to drink Bottled water in Amman, Petra and the Dead Sea; the desert dehydrates fast.
✓Plastic rules Ban on thin single-use plastic bags
✓Sockets and voltage Type A/B/C, 220V (varies)
94.4%
literacy. Public spending on education runs at 3.2% of GDP and 9.8% of all government spending, and secondary enrolment stands at 91.8% gross (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2024).
Made in Jordan.
Bedouin weaving survives, using sheep wool and goat hair for rugs and tents, alongside embroidery and craft cooperatives, several linked to the nature reserves. Every step of processing done at home is value that stops leaving the country.
What Jordan actually sells the world
The single biggest thing Jordan sells the world is knitted clothing, 14.9% of all exports in 2023 (about US$1.88 billion, UN Comtrade). The next four are inorganic chemicals at 12.0%, fertilisers at 11.5%, pearls, gemstones and precious metals at 9.6%, salt, sulphur, stone and cement at 8.0%.
Made now · natural materials
Bedouin weaving survives
Worked in Jordan from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Using sheep wool
Worked in Jordan from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Goat hair for rugs
Worked in Jordan from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Tents
Worked in Jordan from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Alongside embroidery
Worked in Jordan from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Craft cooperatives
Worked in Jordan from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Buys in · 13.4% of imports
Mineral fuels and oils
Jordan imported US$3.43 billion of mineral fuels and oils in 2023, 13.4% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
Buys in · 9.0% of imports
Vehicles
Jordan imported US$2.33 billion of vehicles in 2023, 9.0% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
Buys in · 6.2% of imports
Machinery and mechanical appliances
Jordan imported US$1.58 billion of machinery and mechanical appliances in 2023, 6.2% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
Buys in · 5.2% of imports
Electrical machinery and electronics
Jordan imported US$1.34 billion of electrical machinery and electronics in 2023, 5.2% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
The maths for an entrepreneur. Jordan produces about US$62 billion a year, which is roughly US$5,348 per person (2025, World Bank). Farming is 5.6% of that, while food is 20.7% of everything the country imports. The country buys in more food than its own farms contribute to the economy, and every point of that gap is a business someone could build here rather than ship in.
A living tradition of Jordan, still practised rather than archived.
Bedouin poetry
A living tradition of Jordan, still practised rather than archived.
Sahja
A living tradition of Jordan, still practised rather than archived.
As-Samer wedding tradition
A living tradition of Jordan, still practised rather than archived.
Bedu cultural space of PetraA living tradition of Jordan, still practised rather than archived.
Wadi RumA living tradition of Jordan, still practised rather than archived.
Does Jordan protect its heritage by law?
Partly, and the gaps say as much as the protections.
What is kept alive. Jordan's living heritage is anchored in Bedouin culture and the wider Levantine tradition. Dabke line dancing is performed at almost every celebration, and Bedouin poetry, music and the As-Samer wedding tradition remain alive, both recognised by UNESCO. The cultural space of the Bedu in Petra and Wadi Rum sustains pastoral knowledge, storytelling and the Arabic coffee and majlis customs.
Who it belongs to. Living Bedouin communities remain central, and Jordan has built strong community-based tourism, from Wadi Rum camps to the RSCN's Feynan Ecolodge and Dana guesthouses, so tourism income reaches local families.
Only here. The Dana Biosphere Reserve, spanning four bio-geographic zones from Mediterranean highland to Rift Valley desert.
Three futures for Jordan, every one run forward from measured data.
Every measured trend on one line
Run forward at the pace already recorded.
-1%
Forest cover
1995: 1.11 % → 2023: 1.1 %
+7272%
Renewable electricity
1995: 0.3 % → 2021: 24.9 %
-28%
CO2 per person
1995: 2.9 t → 2024: 2.09 t
-62%
Tourist arrivals
1995: 3277 k → 2020: 1240 k
+260%
Protected land
2013: 1.5 % → 2025: 5.4 %
-30%
Farm workforce
1995: 4.44 % → 2025: 3.12 %
-92%
Protected sea
2013: 35.6 % → 2025: 2.8 %
-9%
Agricultural land
1995: 12.6 % → 2023: 11.5 %
+19%
Urban population
1995: 78.2 % → 2025: 93.2 %
+44%
Air pollution
1995: 22.6 µg/m³ → 2023: 32.6 µg/m³
-58%
Fresh water per person
1995: 143.5 m³ → 2022: 60.6 m³
+11%
Adult overweight
1995: 63 % → 2022: 69.9 %
+2%
Electricity access
1995: 98.3 % → 2024: 100 %
+278%
GDP per person
1995: 1416 → 2025: 5348
+142%
Population
1995: 4752 k → 2025: 11521 k
+423%
Renewable energy use
1995: 2.2 % → 2021: 11.5 %
-15%
Energy per person
1995: 905.2 kg → 2023: 767.6 kg
+260%
Protected area, total
2013: 1.5 % → 2025: 5.4 %
+10%
Life expectancy
1995: 70.9 yrs → 2024: 78 yrs
+36%
Cereal yield
1995: 1186 ha → 2024: 1611 ha
+264%
Fertiliser use
1995: 63.5 ha → 2023: 231.1 ha
-69%
Rural population
1995: 21.8 % → 2025: 6.8 %
+159%
Water productivity
1995: 19.7 $/m3 → 2022: 51.1 $/m3
-18%
Health spending
2000: 9.34 % → 2023: 7.66 %
+0%
Forest area
1995: 975 km2 → 2023: 975 km2
+74%
Electric power use
1995: 1071 kWh → 2023: 1858 kWh
+96%
Emissions: Agriculture
1990: 0.69 e → 2023: 1.35 e
+110%
Emissions: Building
1990: 1.05 e → 2023: 2.21 e
+239%
Emissions: Electricity/Heat
1990: 3.5 e → 2023: 11.7 e
+163%
Emissions: Energy
1990: 9.3 e → 2023: 24.4 e
+194%
Emissions: Industrial Processes
1990: 1.09 e → 2023: 3.2 e
+49%
Emissions: Manufacturing/Construction
1990: 1.31 e → 2023: 1.95 e
World Bank open data, recorded series
How much forest is left?
Forest cover moved from 1.1% to 1.1% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.ZS
How clean is the grid?
Renewable electricity moved from 0.3% to 24.9% across 26 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.RNEW.ZS
How much climate pollution per person?
CO2 per person moved from 2.9 t to 2.1 t across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5
How many people visit?
Tourist arrivals moved from 3277k to 1240k across 25 recorded years.
World Bank ST.INT.ARVL
How much land is protected?
Protected land moved from 1.5% to 5.4% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.LND.PTLD.ZS
How many people still farm?
Farm workforce moved from 4.4% to 3.1% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS
How much sea is protected?
Protected sea moved from 35.6% to 2.8% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.MRN.PTMR.ZS
How much land is farmed?
Agricultural land moved from 12.6% to 11.5% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.AGRI.ZS
How fast is it urbanising?
Urban population moved from 78.2% to 93.2% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS
Is the air getting cleaner?
Air pollution moved from 22.6 µg/m³ to 32.6 µg/m³ across 28 recorded years.
World Bank EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3
Is water getting scarcer?
Fresh water per person moved from 143.5 m³ to 60.6 m³ across 27 recorded years.
World Bank ER.H2O.INTR.PC
Is diet-related disease rising?
Adult overweight moved from 63.0% to 69.8% across 27 recorded years.
World Bank SH.STA.OWAD.ZS
Who has power?
Electricity access moved from 98.3% to 100.0% across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS
Is income rising?
GDP per person moved from 1416 to 5348 across 30 recorded years.
World Bank NY.GDP.PCAP.CD
How fast is it growing?
Population moved from 4752k to 11521k across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.POP.TOTL
What share of all energy is renewable?
Renewable energy use moved from 2.2% to 11.5% across 26 recorded years.
World Bank EG.FEC.RNEW.ZS
How much energy does one person use?
Energy per person moved from 905.19 kg to 767.64 kg across 28 recorded years.
World Bank EG.USE.PCAP.KG.OE
How much land and sea is protected together?
Protected area, total moved from 1.5% to 5.4% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.PTD.TOTL.ZS
How long do people live?
Life expectancy moved from 70.92 yrs to 77.98 yrs across 29 recorded years.
World Bank SP.DYN.LE00.IN
How much does a hectare of cereal produce?
Cereal yield moved from 1186 kg/ha to 1611 kg/ha across 29 recorded years.
World Bank AG.YLD.CREL.KG
How much fertiliser goes on the land?
Fertiliser use moved from 63.49 kg/ha to 231.13 kg/ha across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.CON.FERT.ZS
How many people still live rurally?
Rural population moved from 21.75% to 6.79% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS
How much value per cubic metre of water?
Water productivity moved from 19.72 $/m3 to 51.07 $/m3 across 27 recorded years.
World Bank ER.GDP.FWTL.M3.KD
How much goes on health?
Health spending moved from 9.34% to 7.66% across 23 recorded years.
World Bank SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS
How much forest is there in total?
Forest area moved from 975 km2 to 975 km2 across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.K2
How much electricity per person?
Electric power use moved from 1071 kWh to 1858 kWh across 28 recorded years.
World Bank EG.USE.ELEC.KH.PC
How have agriculture emissions moved?
Agriculture emissions moved from 0.69 to 1.35 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have building emissions moved?
Building emissions moved from 1.05 to 2.21 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have electricity/heat emissions moved?
Electricity/Heat emissions moved from 3.45 to 11.7 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have energy emissions moved?
Energy emissions moved from 9.29 to 24.43 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have industrial processes emissions moved?
Industrial Processes emissions moved from 1.09 to 3.2 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have manufacturing/construction emissions moved?
Manufacturing/Construction emissions moved from 1.31 to 1.95 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
Worst caseCurrent pathBest case
Worst case
Every measured decline continues at the pace already recorded. The weakest pillar, food and farming at 1/5, is the one that gives way first.
Computed from: recorded series extended with no policy change
Current path
Every line above is a recorded World Bank series for this country. The current path is simply those series continuing at the pace already measured.
Computed from: recorded series, no policy change assumed
Best case
The pledges are met on their own stated timetables and the weakest pillars are lifted to match the strongest. Jordan already shows it can do this: plant-based eating scores 5/5.
Computed from: each published target delivered on its own date
What the best case actually asks for
Lift food and farming
It scores 1 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Jordan's record. With little arable land, an arid climate and severe water limits, Jordan imports the large majority of its food, including most of its grain. Domestic production is small and tightly constrained by water availability. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift recycling
It scores 1 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Jordan's record. Formal municipal recycling is very limited, with most waste landfilled and only informal recovery of high-value materials. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift water
It scores 1 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Jordan's record. Jordan is among the two or three most water-scarce countries on Earth, with per-capita renewable water far below the absolute-scarcity line. It leans on the dwindling Jordan and Yarmouk rivers and the non-renewable Disi fossil aquifer, and households in Amman often receive piped water only once a week. About 89% have safely managed drinking water (JMP, 2024), but supply security is the acute problem. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Government and Goals in Jordan.
Who is in charge of Jordan now · office-holders and institutions as published by the state itself; scores from the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators 2024
Jafar Hassan
Prime Minister
Jafar Hassan is the head of government of Jordan, in office since 15 September 2024. Every climate, protection and energy pledge on this page is delivered, or not, under this administration.
Public opinion, measured
Voice and accountability, the freedom to question government: 44.4 / 100. Below the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Control of corruption: 53.4 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Political stability and absence of violence: 59.9 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Rule of law: 59.9 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Regulatory quality: 59.2 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Jafar HassanPrime Minister
National Assembly (Majlis Al-Umma)Legislature, bicameral
Constitutioncurrent text dates from 1928
Government typeparliamentary constitutional monarchy
Jordan national goals: what has been pledged, and how far it has got · each pledge measured against this country's own recorded delivery
2030
30% of land protected
✕ far behind
Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted by more than 190 parties in December 2022. Jordan currently protects 5.4% of its land, which is 18% of the way to the pledge. ↗
2030
30% of sea protected
✕ far behind
The marine half of the same 30x30 pledge. Jordan currently protects 2.8% of its territorial waters, which is 9% of the way there. ↗
2030
Paris Agreement pledge
on record
Jordan has a Nationally Determined Contribution lodged with the UNFCCC. The registry holds the current text, its target year and the sectors it covers. ↗
Plastic policy
in force
Ban on thin single-use plastic bags.
Grid, as it stands
24.9% renewable
Recorded renewable share of electricity output, the number every energy pledge is measured against. ↗
Plain Answers About Jordan.
The questions people actually type, answered in full sentences from the sourced data above.
swipe →
Is Jordan sustainable?
Jordan scores 50 out of 100 on the Throne Eco Index, across twelve equally weighted pillars. Jordan is one of the most water-scarce countries on Earth with minimal forest and heavy food imports, yet it runs well-managed nature reserves, strong Bedouin community tourism and a very plant-friendly cuisine.
Is the water in Jordan safe and plentiful?
Jordan is among the two or three most water-scarce countries on Earth, with per-capita renewable water far below the absolute-scarcity line. It leans on the dwindling Jordan and Yarmouk rivers and the non-renewable Disi fossil aquifer, and households in Amman often receive piped water only once a week. About 89% have safely managed drinking water (JMP, 2024), but supply security is the acute problem.
Can Jordan feed itself?
With little arable land, an arid climate and severe water limits, Jordan imports the large majority of its food, including most of its grain. Domestic production is small and tightly constrained by water availability.
Is it easy to eat plant-based in Jordan?
Levantine cuisine is exceptionally plant-friendly: hummus, falafel, foul, tabbouleh, mutabbal, freekeh and abundant vegetable mezze make unprocessed plant eating the everyday norm. Meat dishes such as mansaf exist, but daily food is largely plant-based.
How much of Jordan is actually protected?
Protected areas cover about 5% of land and under 3% of the sea (World Bank, 2025), a modest footprint, but the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature runs its reserves at Dana, Mujib, Ajloun and Azraq to a high standard with real ecotourism income.
What wildlife is left in Jordan?
Jordan sits on a major bird migration flyway and has reintroduced the Arabian oryx at Shaumari, alongside Nubian ibex, caracal and desert species. Wildlife is modest in diversity but includes a genuine rewilding success.
Is Jordan on clean energy?
Jordan imports almost all its fossil energy and its power grid still runs mainly on natural gas, but it has become a regional renewables leader, lifting the renewable share of electricity from under 1 per cent in 2014 to around 27 per cent by 2023 through large solar and wind projects. Emissions are low at roughly 2.09 tonnes of CO2 per person. Its climate pledge targets a 31 per cent cut in emissions by 2030, backed by a national energy strategy.
How polluted is Jordan?
Ambient PM2.5 averages about 33 µg/m³ (World Bank, 2023), lifted by desert dust as well as traffic. Jordan has banned thin single-use plastic bags, but litter and limited waste systems remain visible outside the main cities.
Does recycling work in Jordan?
Formal municipal recycling is very limited, with most waste landfilled and only informal recovery of high-value materials.
Is the farming in Jordan organic?
Certified organic farmland is about 0.1% of agricultural area (FiBL, 2020 data), reflecting the country's tiny, water-limited farming base.
Are there natural materials and craft in Jordan?
Bedouin weaving survives, using sheep wool and goat hair for rugs and tents, alongside embroidery and craft cooperatives, several linked to the nature reserves.
Is there living culture in Jordan?
Living Bedouin communities remain central, and Jordan has built strong community-based tourism, from Wadi Rum camps to the RSCN's Feynan Ecolodge and Dana guesthouses, so tourism income reaches local families.
What heritage does Jordan keep alive?
Jordan's living heritage is anchored in Bedouin culture and the wider Levantine tradition. Dabke line dancing is performed at almost every celebration, and Bedouin poetry, music and the As-Samer wedding tradition remain alive, both recognised by UNESCO. The cultural space of the Bedu in Petra and Wadi Rum sustains pastoral knowledge, storytelling and the Arabic coffee and majlis customs.
So is Jordan actually green? The measured answer
What is working: the record is thin on the headline measures, and the sourced numbers below say why.
What is not: land protected at 5.4% against a 30% mark, sea protected at 2.8% against a 30% mark, renewable electricity at 24.9% against a 100% mark.
Jordan sits 74 of 77 at 50/100. Every name links to its own destination page, built exactly like this one. The full ranking →
What is Jordan particularly good at?
✓Plant-based eating, scored 5/5. Levantine cuisine is exceptionally plant-friendly: hummus, falafel, foul, tabbouleh, mutabbal, freekeh and abundant vegetable mezze make unprocessed plant eating the everyday norm. Meat dishes such as mansaf exist, but daily food is largely plant-based.
✓Culture, scored 4/5. Living Bedouin communities remain central, and Jordan has built strong community-based tourism, from Wadi Rum camps to the RSCN's Feynan Ecolodge and Dana guesthouses, so tourism income reaches local families.
✓Heritage, scored 4/5. Jordan's living heritage is anchored in Bedouin culture and the wider Levantine tradition. Dabke line dancing is performed at almost every celebration, and Bedouin poetry, music and the As-Samer wedding tradition remain alive, both recognised by UNESCO. The cultural space of the Bedu in Petra and Wadi Rum sustains pastoral knowledge, storytelling and the Arabic coffee and majlis customs. Circassian and Chechen minorities add their own living music and dance.
Where does Jordan score worst?
✕Food and farming, scored 1/5. With little arable land, an arid climate and severe water limits, Jordan imports the large majority of its food, including most of its grain. Domestic production is small and tightly constrained by water availability.
✕Recycling, scored 1/5. Formal municipal recycling is very limited, with most waste landfilled and only informal recovery of high-value materials.
✕Water, scored 1/5. Jordan is among the two or three most water-scarce countries on Earth, with per-capita renewable water far below the absolute-scarcity line. It leans on the dwindling Jordan and Yarmouk rivers and the non-renewable Disi fossil aquifer, and households in Amman often receive piped water only once a week. About 89% have safely managed drinking water (JMP, 2024), but supply security is the acute problem.
Similar countries doing it better and worse
Sri LankaScored on the same twelve pillars as Jordan.75
IndiaScored on the same twelve pillars as Jordan.72
ThailandScored on the same twelve pillars as Jordan.68
PhilippinesScored on the same twelve pillars as Jordan.62
MongoliaScored on the same twelve pillars as Jordan.60
MaldivesScored on the same twelve pillars as Jordan.42
A note from the lens of mother natureswipe →
Energy, 3/5
Jordan imports almost all its fossil energy and its power grid still runs mainly on natural gas, but it has become a regional renewables leader, lifting the renewable share of electricity from under 1 per cent in 2014 to around 27 per cent by 2023 through large solar and wind projects. Emissions are low at roughly 2.09 tonnes of CO2 per person.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Jordan's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Food and farming, 1/5
With little arable land, an arid climate and severe water limits, Jordan imports the large majority of its food, including most of its grain. Domestic production is small and tightly constrained by water availability.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Jordan's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Heritage, 4/5
Jordan's living heritage is anchored in Bedouin culture and the wider Levantine tradition. Dabke line dancing is performed at almost every celebration, and Bedouin poetry, music and the As-Samer wedding tradition remain alive, both recognised by UNESCO.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Jordan's record, so it is where the score moves first.
The Jordan Directory.
Everything on Hold The Throne that sits in Jordan, checked and listed.
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Government effectiveness
55.5 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Rule of law
59.9 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Political stability
59.9 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Voice and accountability
44.4 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Environmental Performance Index
47.3 / 100 · 78 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 78 of 180 countries assessed.
Ecosystem vitality
49.3 / 100 · 95 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 95 of 180 countries assessed.
Biodiversity and habitat
32.8 / 100 · 139 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 139 of 180 countries assessed.
Air pollution
85.5 / 100 · 45 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 45 of 180 countries assessed.
Terrestrial biomes protected
12.2 / 100 · 156 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 156 of 180 countries assessed.
How Jordan Is Scored. The Throne Standard.
Every destination on the index is scored the same way, so a 4 in Barbados means exactly what a 4 means in Iceland. No self-declared data and no brochure claims are accepted. Every figure on this page carries its named source and year, and the history on each page names what empire took as plainly as it scores the present.
The 12 pillars every destination is scored on, equally weighted
01
Conservation
Land and sea actually protected, not pledged
02
Wildlife
What survives, what is endemic, what is lost
03
Water
Fresh water per person, and the ocean’s health
04
Food & farming
Whether the place can feed itself
05
Organic & clean
Certified land and pesticide reality
06
Climate & energy
Emissions per person, how the grid is powered
07
Waste
Where the rubbish goes, what comes back
08
Health
What people eat and die of
09
Heritage
Living culture, and what the law keeps standing
10
Ownership
Who owns the economy, how much of a dollar stays
11
Governance
Freedom, honesty, promises kept
12
Future
Measured trends run forward, pledges against pace
What each 0 to 5 pillar score means, in plain words
One index, every destination. This same sectioned page renders for all 77 scored destinations, each with its own researched history, comparison charts and three-way future. Read the full methodology
